Fatherly Advice
by kitkatfox
Summary: Hermione is going to leave Draco. But Lucius might be able to shed some light on the situation.


_Here's a quick one-shot from yours truly. I was frustrated with some other writing during the long holiday, so this was scribbled down. It's merely a dabble, not fully formed. There's another story that sort of "goes along" with this one. Anyway, enjoy! Please inform me of any mistakes or anything in your review. My fanfics are not beta-read.

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**Fatherly Advice**

He stared down at the ring on the floor in front of him. Of course, he was lucky it didn't hit his face. That was what she had been aiming for. He could at least be thankful his fiancée had the throwing arm of a flobberworm. (Who, in fact, had no arms at all, but that was the point)

She was in the other room, packing her stuff angrily. She had sworn that this was the last time she would "deal with his ridiculous prideful crap". He denied knowing what she was talking about.

_"I am through with this, Draco!" she yelled, working furiously to get off the engagement ring he'd given her._

_"I don't think it's that big of a deal!" he screamed back, though he gave a nervous glance to her trying to remove the piece of jewelry._

_"I don't give a damn what you think, I'm leaving!" She shrieked, storming out the door. She flipped around in the doorway, flinging the ring at him. It had bounced off his shoulder and landed on the floor in front of him._

"Draco?" said a calm voice and the blonde glanced up to see his father standing in the doorway.

"Yes?" he asked, his voice hoarse. Lucius entered the room slowly, his eyes flickering to the ring on the floor, and back to Draco's face.

"I'm sorry that you and Hermione aren't getting along." Lucius said quietly, sitting on a chair across from his son. Draco rolled his eyes, not wanting his father's pity. Lucius frowned. "You know, if she's so set on leaving you, why isn't she already gone?"

"What?"

"It has been almost a half hour since you two woke up the entire household with your argument, and she's still in her room crying. She has packed her stuff, but she hasn't left."

"That's because she a damn coward! She can't survive without me!" snapped Draco, "But I don't need her! She can leave the country for all I care!" he finished crossly. Lucius raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair.

"You're letting go so easily for someone who fought so hard to get her in the first place." He said matter-of-factly. Draco blinked in surprise, before he scoffed and shook his head.

"No I didn't…she came to me!" he said, almost bragging.

"Really?" murmured Lucius.

_It was Quiddich. All could be blamed on that blasted sport_

_ Hermione had had it with Ron and Harry going on and on about the stupid rules and strategies, then giving her pitying looks and apologizing for talking about something she knew nothing about. Then came the snickering and joking about Quiddich being the one thing they knew more about than the great know-it-all Hermione Granger._

_And that she was scared of it._

_This had caused the smartest Gryffindor to borrow one of the school's brooms that evening and go out to the Quiddich field, and try to learn how to fly and play the sport, at least enough to participate in discussions with Ron and Harry. And show them she wasn't some stupid scared Hufflepuff._

_It was there Draco Malfoy had come across her trying to just sit on the broom.._

_At first they had just yelled at each other, the normal insults they so frequently exchanged. He'd found her situation hilarious._

_Then…_

_At some point, something changed between them. And that's what started it all._

_Quiddich._

After explaining their first meeting that didn't end in bloodshed or tears, Draco sighed.

"Well…after that, I pursued her more than she did me…" He admitted. Lucius smiled slightly.

"Oh? Well, you better use that sweet talking you did back then to get her to stay this time. Because I know you're going to miss her." Lucius said calmly.

"Maybe for a little while. But I'll find someone else easily. Someone easier to live with!" replied Draco snidely.

"You don't stay with the one you can live with; it's the one you can't live without. The one that has you torn up in pieces. The one you will not stop speaking about." explained Lucius, before he stood up. "Sometimes you have to swallow your pride, because if you don't, you'll become cold, lonely, and bitter." He said hollowly, speaking from experience. Draco bit his lip. Lucius shrugged, "I'm done giving you advice. If you love her as much as I think you do, you're a fool if she gets away." And with that, Lucius Malfoy walked out and Draco threw himself back on the bed, looking up at the ceiling.

"Alright…time to swallow my pride." He said in defeat, getting to his feet slowly, and heading into the room next door.

Hermione sat on the floor, her suitcase in front of her, tears falling onto the neatly folded pile of clothes. She glanced up as her fiancé entered and her eyes narrowed.

"Go away!" she snapped, closing the top of the suitcase and starting to zip it.

Draco leaned against the door frame, watching her morosely and feeling his guilt increase.

"Hermione…"

"Oh, going to apologize? Don't even try! Once a Malfoy, always a Malfoy!" she said, standing up sharply and pushing her tangled brown locks back before picking up her suitcase and pulling out her wand. He sighed heavily.

"You're right Hermione. We Malfoy's are prideful bastards, huh?"

She stared at him in astonishment, her suitcase dropping. She hadn't expected some a brutally honest statement. She crossed her arms immediately though.

"Yes you are. And of course I'm right." She said cynically. Draco straightened up, coming into the room. Hermione hesitated, clutching her wand tighter. He put his palms up in a friendly gesture.

"I'm sorry…please don't leave." He whispered. She frowned at him.

"You aren't going to stop me this time."

He smirked at her and her eyes fluttered in surprise. He slipped her ring into his pocket, unnoticed before walking right up to her, slipping an arm around her waist and kissing her tenderly. When he pulled back she stared at him dazedly, her thoughts thrown to the wind. He gave her a devilish grin.

"Okay. Then I'm coming with you."

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_Short, like I said. Hope you liked it. This was more to show the nice side of Lucius, than the relationship between Hermione and Draco. And no, he wouldn't be so instantly pleasant. But time has pased in this story, and the point is not to show the turning point, but the result. The related story, **"Quddich Pitch" **is a slightly longer fic, explaining Hermione and Draco's first meeting. If you're interested, check it out! Reviews always appreciated!_  



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